Massimo kept giving her half days, too. It was very pleasant to have her work finished at noon on the dot and be free to just have fun.
But one day, just after Massimo dismissed her, Elena got a call on her civilian cell. It was her best friend and former roommate Aria.
"Hey, El," Aria said sweetly, "guess who's back in New York City?"
"Really?" Elena asked. "How long are you around?"
"Just a few days," Aria replied. "You good to meet up at that coffee shop we used to go to all the time? Like, meet there in the next fifteen?"
Elena enthusiastically agreed. With all the chaos of planning the mafia winter hunting party and then actually running it, she had forgotten that Aria was visiting the area. Elena excitedly got ready to meet her friend.
"Girl, you're glowing," Aria praised the moment she spotted Elena. She gave her friend a big hug before pulling away. "Did your husband finally take your v-card?"
"Aria," Elena hissed, "you can't just ask that here. We're in public."
Aria passed Elena a cup of coffee and a bagel—their usual orders here. Aria's eyes still betrayed her mischief though.
"That wasn't a no," Aria teased. "How big was his dick? He's gotta be hung like a horse to act like such a prick and get away with it."
"Aria," Elena hissed again.
"Okay, okay, you don't have to tell me all the details. Just tell me when I get the size right." She stuck her two index fingers together and slowly started to move them further and further apart.
Elena blushed as Aria kept up the act and looked more and more scandalized. The doctor quickly slapped her friend's hands back down on the table.
"Well you haven't changed at all," Elena huffed.
Aria just laughed. "And you still love me," she replied with a smile.
Despite herself, Elena smiled back. "I do," she admitted. "And I've missed you so much."
"As you should, El," Aria said. "I'm the only person who treats you how you deserve to be treated—unless your mystery husband has finally stepped up?"
"I think he has," Elena defended. "Things have been going so much better—we've gone on dates regularly all the time now. And he's always saying the sweetest things."
"I need you to look more closely at those dons in Massachusetts," Massimo demanded. "Since everything went so well at the winter party, Tyler is going to be pissed."
"You think he'll retaliate?" Luca asked.
"Almost certainly," Massimo replied. "It's just a question of how."
Luca nodded before leaving.
Massimo was worried Tyler might try to target Elena, but they had increased security at the estate. And despite their argument, Elena did promise to keep her gun on her—he even got her a new black purse where she could discretely store it.
It was better for Luca to focus on potential retaliations. After all, Massimo had his hands full planning his confession to Elena.
Back in Massachusetts, Tyler received a call from his cousin.
"This better be good," he warned.
"It is," the female voice on the line promised. "I just came upon some very important information about the Mafia King and Queen that I thought you might like to hear..."

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